Hairspray BROADWAY REVIEWS

NY TIMES

Opening Night:

August 15, 2002

Closing:

January 4, 2009

Theater: Neil Simon Theatre / 250 West 52nd Street, New York, NY,

Synopsis:

It's 1962, and Baltimore's Tracy Turnblad wants to dance. When she wins a spot on the local TV dance program The Corny Collins Show, this big girl with big hair becomes a teen celebrity overnight. Soon Tracy finds herself pitted against the show's reigning princess for the title Miss Teenage Hairspray 1962. Based on the John Waters film, Hairspray is the winner of the 2003 Tony Award for Best Musical, the 2003 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, the 2003 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Broadway Musical, and the 2003 Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Musical!

NEW YORK TIMES REVIEW OF Hairspray

Through Hot Pink Glasses, a World That's Nice

Ben Brantley

August 16, 2002: IF life were everything it should be -- that is, if life were more like the endearing new musical called ''Hairspray'' that opened last night at the Neil Simon Theater -- your every waking thought would be footnoted by a chorus of backup singers of early 60's vintage. You know, the kind who always come up with helpful bons mots like ''ow-oot'' and ''bop-be-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba,'' whether the lead singer's heart is breaking or quaking.

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